Written Answers Friday 13 August 2010

Scottish Executive

Scottish Government Travel

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many transport-related fines it has settled on behalf of its staff and at what cost in (a) cash and (b) real terms in each year since 2007.

John Swinney: I am afraid that the information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  The Scottish Government’s Travel and Subsistence rules state that staff incurring car parking fines for illegal parking whilst on official business will not be reimbursed from official funds. As such the electronic Travel and Subsistence claim form that is utilised to submit and process claims does not include a separate code for claiming this expense.

  Exceptionally, in cases where a car parking fine is issued as a result of a member of staff being unavoidably detained on official business for reasons beyond their control consideration may be given to reimbursing the cost of the fine, which could be claimed through a miscellaneous cost code or against parking costs. Counter signing officers would need to be prepared to defend this decision to internal auditors. In addition, the Travel and Subsistence team carries out regular audit checks of claims submitted and these checks have not disclosed any such payments.

  However, the number of claims actually settled, if any, could only be obtained by printing off and manually examining each individual claim form and associated receipts.